Full Process of Prepackaged Food Import and Export Agency: Compliance Risk Control and Efficient Customs Clearance Guide

Port of Destination Certification: Precisely Match Regulatory Requirements of Target Countries

In 2026,certification standards for prepackaged food across global economies continue to be refined.The newly revised EU Regulation on Food Contact Materials (EC 1935/2004) adds 3 banned additives,and multiple Southeast Asian countries require nutrition facts labels written in local languages.Last year I handled a case of a nut exporter based in Zhejiang Province: the client failed to verify Malaysia’s halal certification requirements in advance,so the goods were detained upon arrival,missing the sales window for Ramadan,with a direct loss of over 120,000 RMB.

Core Implementation Points for Key Certifications

• GACC Overseas Production Enterprise Registration (Order No.248): All prepackaged food manufacturers exporting to China must complete the registration.Real-time online review has been fully implemented in 2026,requiring submission of materials such as production workshop floor plans and batch test reports,with the review cycle shortened to 3 working days
• Animal and Plant Quarantine Certificate: It is required for prepackaged food containing fresh ingredients.The EU requires the certificate to mark pesticide residue test data of specific batches,with accuracy up to ppb level
• Target Country Specific Certifications: Such as US FDA registration,EU CE marking,Australian ACCC certification.Applications shall be submitted 60 days in advance,and on-site factory inspection is required by some countries

Anti-Dumping Early Warning: Avoid Trade Barriers in Advance

In 2026,the number of global anti-dumping cases rises by 12% year on year,and the prepackaged food sector mainly sees relevant cases on canned food,chocolate and other categories.For example,the anti-dumping duty rate on Chinese tomato paste in the EU remains at 35.9%.If the RCEP certificate of origin is not processed in advance,the zero-tariff treatment cannot be enjoyed,which increases the cost per container by nearly 800 Euros.

Export Tax Refund Optimization: Accurately Tap Policy Dividends

In 2026,the export tax refund rate for prepackaged food remains in the range of 13%-17%,with obvious rate gaps among different product categories.I once assisted a beverage exporter based in Jiangsu Province to optimize the tax refund process: the client failed to distinguish the HS codes for "pure fruit juice beverage" and "milk-containing compound beverage" previously,which resulted in the applicable rate dropping from 17% to 13%,causing a direct tax refund loss of 32,000 RMB.

Core Operational Details for Tax Refund

• Accurate Commodity HS Code Classification: The HS code of prepackaged food shall be determined according to ingredient proportion,processing technology and packaging specification.Wrong classification will lead to tax refund failure or trigger customs inspection
• Online Archiving of Electronic Documents: In 2026,customs has realized online verification of electronic documents including customs declaration forms,special value-added tax invoices and packing lists.It is necessary to ensure all document information is fully consistent without logical conflicts
• Alignment of Foreign Exchange Collection and Tax Refund: The tax refund amount shall correspond to the foreign exchange collection amount.If there is exchange loss,bank foreign exchange settlement voucher and exchange rate statement shall be provided to avoid rejection due to amount discrepancy

Foreign Exchange Collection Security Guarantee: Avoid Exchange Loss and Property Rights Risks

In 2026,global exchange rate fluctuations intensified,with the annual amplitude of USD/CNY exchange rate reaching 6.8%.Prepackaged food import and export enterprises shall lock in exchange rates in advance to avoid exchange losses.Meanwhile,property rights risks shall be well controlled,and it is prohibited to send the original bill of lading directly to overseas clients,especially in high-risk regions such as the Middle East and South America.

Mandatory Risk Control Early Warning Checklist

• Compliance Red Line: Food additives in the ingredient list must comply with GB2760-2024 standard.Violation will lead to customs return,a fine of 5%-10% of the cargo value,and relevant records in the enterprise credit system
• Hidden Cost Trap: If destination port demurrage fee and document exchange fee are not specified in the contract in advance,the total cost will increase by extra 10%-15%.The responsible party and maximum charge limit shall be clearly stipulated
• Exchange Loss Risk Mitigation: Adopting bank forward foreign exchange settlement and sale to lock in exchange rates can reduce over 80% of losses caused by exchange rate fluctuations.Some banks provide exclusive exchange rate preferences for foreign trade enterprises

Centered in Shanghai,Zhongshitong owns a nationwide remote declaration network covering 26 ports across China,and cooperates with partner agencies in 32 countries worldwide.It can obtain regulatory change information of target countries 30 days in advance,and provides full-link compliance and risk control services for prepackaged food import and export,so as to eliminate compliance risks and economic losses from the source.